Method of knitting



July 14, '1.942. R. H. LAWSONA 2,289,581

METHOD 0F KNTTING original Filed March s, 1937 Q @A Ewa@ www (Sgmfegaggyfy TM PnehiefdjJulyii. l`1a12 s rmrnon or mmc.

' sessies asalaiz ser Gln mm i 001'- lllassacirusetts l poration of vorigini sppumlcn man s. m1, serials. 128,195. ,Divided andthlsappllcation February v muessen-1.1m. sans 4 claim. (or. sex-41) Thiscase concerns a method of knitting stock ing topsandv the articleproduced. More particularly, the invention involves the construction ofthe beginning edge or selvage of the stocking top andthe manner ofknitting the same to present a` pleasing appearance, an edge fastagainst `ravelling, and one which may be freely stretched but will havea suitable restraining eifectin holding the stocldng on the wearers leg.This case is a division of application Serial #128,795, filed March 3,1937. 4

In'the gures of drawing:v

. Fig. 1 is a view showing a section of the fabric as it would appeartheoretically;

Fig. 2 shows the top edge of the fabric. very much as it would appearafter :being knitted, but d .f course, to a scale greatly enlarged; andl Figs. 3 and 4 are viewspcorresponding to Figs.

l and 2, but. showing a modined form of the invention.

It is quite common practice to incorporate rubber yarnsin stocking topsto constitute a garter top andl for the purpose ofsiinulating al ribappearance. In many instances this rubber yarn is intrduced at thebeginning edge of the fabric and serves in the knitting ofa selvageaswell as imparting a resillencyto the fabric for the purpose of holdingit on the wearers leg, tocreate `a rib appearance and for .preventingcurling to a degree. Heretofore it has been known to incorporate thiselastic thread in ythe beginning course in practically every loopthereof with a result that the edge has sometimes been exceedingly tightand restricted when compared to the remainder of the fabric whereinthat4 elastic yarn is very often held at Vwales spaced apart a fewneedles. In the present construction the beginning edge involves aconstruction wherein the rubber yarn isheld in spaced wales but at thesame time, an edge is formed which is absolutely fast against ravellingand which is pleasing in appearance. The salvagel course or courses willnot be tight or more restricted than the remainder of the stocking topin which the rubber is incorporated thereby having a more satisfactoryfeel as it is worn on the wearers leg.

Now referring to the Figs. 1 and 2, one form ofthe invention will bedescribed 4wherein the elastic yarn is taken on spaced needles,preferably every fourth needle in the ilrst course of knitting, thenonthe second course a plain yarn will be taken on every other needle,these needles including the same needles which knitted the elastic yarnin the first course. By plain yarn, I

mean any of theusual knitting yarns such as u' coursey l. .It will'beevident from an inspection cotton, silk, wool or any ofthe yarns ofarticial filaments. When thism course is drawn the rubber is cast onand, since it was`not drawn through anything, will not assume the formvoi' knitted loops although in theFlg. 1, it is shown being drawn intoknitted loops merely for the ypurpose ofrshowing the steps in theproduction of the stocking top. After ldrawing this second course theremainder of the stocking top is knitted of the plain yarn in anydesired way, preferably knitting on all needles and incorporating therubber yarn in spaced courses and in spaced wales throughout theremainder of -th'e top .to

constitute a garter top of some conventional ll form. Here the lelasticis knitted in every fourth'- course and on every fourthneedle althoughit may -beincorporated according to different schemes and may be inlaidas von every other needle and'i'n spaced courses. The elastic yarn '20is knitted under a suiilcient degree yof tension depending upon theresult desired,l upon the type of elastic yarn, slzepetc.

In Fig.' l, the first course of elastic is shownI at I being knitted inwales 2, 3 and l. These'cond as course of plain yam s ls knitted 1nwines z. a

and tand also wales t and l, that is, thesecond .course is knitted onthesame needles as knitted the nrst but on;additional needlesbetweenthose.`

needles, this resi'xlting-in loops drawn on. every other needle. CoursesI and thoseY continuing are knitted on' lallneedles9 and in spacedlcourses such' as the elastic yarn is again knitted as inwales 2,3 and' lbeing drawn into loops il which when thel fabric is released willcontract to distort .the

fabric and to simulate a ribappearance.' Since the ilrs't course ofrubber is knitted under .the same degree of tension as courses Mete..and on the same needles, the Arib appearance will be uni- 4 form fromthe very top edge throughout thel 40 entire stocking top.

In Fig. 2 the top edge of fabric isshown'pretty much as it would appearwhen finished. .The

f loops drawn on needles 2, 3 and 4 willlie in front of the rubber whilethose drawn on needles i and 'l will lie behind it. 'Ihese loops of .theyarn 5 will bespread out or equalized in the spacing pretty much asshown ln Fig.v 2 and would not appear in the finished fabric as they aretheoretically shown in Fig. l. Likewise there would be a spreading and`a distortion of the loops in i that this edge can notravel, but thatthe elastic is rather freely held herein and the edge 4will not beunnecessarily tight or restricted so as to cause any discomfort to thewearer. The elastic yarn I is actually held at spaced wales only .ratherthan being passed through all thev loops of all the wales in the top ashas been practiced heretofore.

Now referring to Figs. 3, and 4, I will describe a modication whereinsimilar principles apply, but wherein the actual construction variesslightly from that first described. The selvage is formed in thisinstance by drawing the elastic yarn on every fourth needle in the firstcourse, then in the second course, drawing two plain yarns one on everyother needle (including those needles Vwhich function in the firstcourse) and the other on every needle. At this second course the rubberis cast o ff just as it was in the first instance. Throughout the restof the fabric thev top will be knitted on all needles and mayincorporate the rubber yarn in any desired way.

In Fig. 3 the elastic yarn knitted at the rst course is shown at II andis knitted on needles I2, I3 and M while in the second courseva plainyarn I5 is knitted' on every needle while 'another plain lyarn I6,herein shown shaded for purposes less speciiic terms and as applied toone par.

ticular spacing of needles, or one particular set up, but the inventionis not to be limited thereby except as by the scope of theappendedclaims.

I claim: 1. The method ofl knitting a selvaged plain knit seamlessstocking top on a circular knitting of identification, is knitted onevery other needle I as on I2, I3 and I4 and the intermediate needles I1and I8, and so on. Thus this plain yarn I6 will float as shown at I3,20, 2i, 22, etc. Of course this showing in Fig. 3 is merely theoreticalto illustrate what actually takes place in the process of knitting. Theactual fabric when the rubber has contracted and has acted to'redistribute the loops in course two. will appear very much asshown inFig. 4. In that figure the rubber II passes through in back` of .loopsof the yarns I5 and I6 which were drawn. by needles I2, I3 and Il and infront of all the other loops, that is, in front of those drawn byneedles I1 and I8 as far as yarn I6 is concerned, and those drawn by allintervening needles as 4far as yarn I5 is concerned. There is aredistribution of the -yarn I6 very much as there was in the flrst formvwith respect to yarn 5. This will be evident from an inspection of theshaded yarn I6, Fig. .4. The

loops of the other yarn I-are tied` in and prevented from running byboth yarns `II land I6 but the rubber yarn II is held quite freely andonly at every fourth wale. The same advantages In knitting either ofthese fabrics-the machine apply in either instance.

machine which comprises, feeding an elastic yarn' to the hooks of everyfourth needle only on the first round of knitting, feeding a yarn to thehooks of alternate needles onlyl on 'the second round of knitting whilecasting'A oiI the elastic i yarn fed on said rst round, and continuingthe knitting of said stocking top with an inelastic yarn on at leastsaid alternate needles.

2. The methodnof knitting a selvaged -plain l i knit seamless stock/ingtop on a circular knitting machineA which comprises, -feeding an.elastic yarn to "the hooks-'of every fourth needle only x on the firstround of knitting, feeding anin elastic yarn to the hooks of alternateneedles only on the-*second round of knitting while castling off theelastic yarn fed on said first round.

and continuing the knitting of said stocking top with an inelastic yarnon at least said alternate needles. 'I 3. The method of knitting' aselvaged -plai knit seamless stocking top on a circular knitting machinewhich comprises, feeding an elasticv yarn to the hooks of every fourthneedle only on the nist rounder kmttmgffeeding an inelastic yarn to thehooks of alternate needles only on the second round. of knittingwhileyolf the elastic yarn fed' on said first round an'dconinelasticyarn fed on all needleskff4 4. The method of knitting fajselvaged plainknit seamless stocking top on a circular knitting tinuing the' knittingof said stocking top -with an l machine which comprises, feeding'anelastic yarn to the hooks of every fourth 'needle only on-the ilrstround ofknitting, feeding an inelastic yarn will necessarily beequippedwith needle selecting l means capable of raising every fourth needle totake the rubber yam in the flrstcourse and in the second course raisingthose same needles, but in addition thereto every second needle as at 6and 1, Fig. 1, and I1 and I8, Eg. 3. In addition to this, to make thesecond form, the yarns I8,

to the hooks of alternate needles only on the second round of knittingwhile casting ofll the elastic yarn fed on said iirst round, andcontinuing the knitting of said stocking top by knitting an inelasticyarnon all needles andby knitting an elastic yarn at spaced needles.

RoBER'rH. Lawson. d,

